The Willoughby Corner team wishes you a happy spring!
Willoughby Corner is progressing through the City of Lafayette review process. In this month’s update, you’ll learn more about upcoming Willoughby Corner hearings, and next steps for the Willoughby Corner neighborhood of permanently affordable homes.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at jasper@thepachnercompany.com
On April 18, BCHA received final approval from the Lafayette City Council for Willoughby Corner’s Phase 1 Site Plan application. We are grateful to the City of Lafayette, community members, and partners who continue to support the development of this new neighborhood of affordable homes.
Willoughby Corner’s Planned Unit Development (PUD) application was recently reviewed by Lafayette City Councilors on October 20 (here is the video recording of that public hearing). Council members had a long discussion about the application that focused primarily on parking, landscaping, and appropriateness of this project on the site. In the end, councilors voted unanimously to approve the Planned Unit development that will set the framework and rules through the site plan phases.
On Nov 15, Boulder County Housing Authority was notified that their competitive application for the 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits was awarded to help fund Willoughby Corner. With this source of funding, we can ensure that Willoughby Corner continues to be a permanently affordable housing development in a area. We can’t thank all our supporters -including the East Lafayette Advisory Committee members- enough for helping us clear this hurdle and we are very appreciative of the energy and enthusiasm from the community.
The site plan documents, and associated review process focus on architecture and site-specific plans for each proposed lot in the Willoughby Corner neighborhood. To date, the site plan has undergone a series of reviews with the City of Lafayette and is currently scheduled to go next to the Lafayette City Council on April 18 at 5:30 p.m.
As the project takes steps toward its final form, our team continues to work to develop renderings of the neighborhood design and layout. As shown below, Willoughby Corner will be a neighborhood of affordable homes with sustainable landscape treatments to sidewalks, common areas, and parks. These areas can be enjoyed and experienced by all. We’d love to know what you think! Please email us!
The Phase 1 Site Plan includes the 55-and-over, multifamily, and community buildings.
Once the building permits are approved for the Phase 1 Site Plan, construction is permitted to begin. The construction schedule will be shared at www.WilloughbyCorner.org and will be updated frequently to provide important updates.
We have received questions about when leasing might begin for Willoughby Corner. At this time, we estimate we would begin accepting applications to live at Willoughby in early 2024, with move-ins potentially taking place Spring of 2024. We will include more specific information about this in upcoming updates when we have it.
The East Lafayette Advisory Committee (ELAC) is a group of individuals who volunteer their time to discuss details and make recommendations for Willoughby Corner’s design, amenities, and levels of service to the community. ELAC is comprised of representatives who live in areas adjacent to Willoughby Corner site and throughout the Lafayette community.
At the most recent ELAC meetings, BCHA provided updates on the Site Plan, conceptual architecture, and Willoughby Corner’s overall timeline and next steps. If you would like to watch the meetings, please feel free to access the recordings and presentation slides at these link: March 17th,2023 ELAC Meeting, March 20th, 2023 ELAC Meeting, presentation slides.
Want to meet over coffee or have a large group that would like to learn more about the project!? Please let us know! We would love to meet you in person, virtually, or via phone. Please send us an email at jasper@thepachnercompany.com to set up a one on one or group meeting.
Amid skyrocketing housing prices across our county and along the Front Range, the Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) is building a neighborhood of diverse housing options that will help the City of Lafayette and the broader region reach important goals for addressing the lack of housing affordability in the years ahead. Willoughby Corner will serve generations of families and individuals, elders, and our workforce, who need safe, stable, high-quality affordable homes.
BCHA proposes 400 permanently affordable homes in a variety of building types, including duplexes, townhomes, apartments, and community amenity spaces. The planned housing site is a 24-acre parcel located southwest of 120th Street and East Emma Street in Lafayette. The land parcel sits in an ideal location near important services and the Lafayette town center. The area is considered a priority by the Boulder County Transportation Department for the enhancement of multi-modal transportation options.
In 2017, The City of Lafayette, Boulder County, and Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA), partnered to purchase the vacant industrial-zoned land for $3.5 million to provide much needed affordable housing. The entities entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA), dedicating the land to create deed-restricted affordable housing, including rental and for-sale options. See below Intergovernmental Tab for more information.
BCHA is the official housing authority for all areas of the county beyond the city limits of Longmont and Boulder, including Lafayette. A significant portion of BCHA’s mission is to sustainably maximize access to and maintain quality affordable housing and appropriate services for residents of Boulder County, including middle-, low-, and very-low-income community members. We accomplish this mission through community collaboration, integrated services and programs, professional organization, effective management, and the pursuit and expansion of funding sources and land and building acquisition.
The following schedule shows activities completed and upcoming milestones:
| Milestone | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Site Plan Phase 1 Public Hearings | Jan. 11th, 2023 |
| Economic Incentive Decisions – City Council | Jan. 3rd, 2023 |
| Final Plat & Subdivision DA – City Council | Jan. 3rd, 2023 |
| Phase 1A Buho Place (55+) Building Permit Issuance | Jan. 23rd, 2023 |
| Phase 1A 55+ Apartments – Financial Closing | Feb. 1st, 2023 |
| Phase 1A 55+ Apartments – Groundbreaking | Feb. 15th, 2023 |
| Phase 1B Building Permits Issuance | Feb. – Apr., 2023 |
| Phase 1B – Financial Closing | May 1st, 2023 |
| Phase 1B – Groundbreaking | May 15th, 2023 |
The Following Schedule Shows Activities Completed to date: |
|
| Milestone | Date Completed |
| 4% LIHTC CHFA Presentation | Nov. 1st, 2022 |
| Final PUD – City Council | Oct. 20th, 2022 |
| Phase 1A Senior Apartments Building Permit Application | Oct. 12th, 2022 |
| 4% LIHTC Application | Aug. 1, 2022 |
| Site Plan Phase 1 Comments Due | July 22nd, 2022 |
| Prelim PUD & Prelim Plat – Planning Commission | July 13th, 2022 |
| Department of Housing – Funding Application | July 1st, 2022 |
| Site Plan Phase 1 Submittal | June 17th, 2022 |
| ELAC Meeting | June 9th, 2022 |
| PUD & Prelim Plat Latest Comments Received | June 6th, 2022 |
| 9% LIHTC – Award | May 5th, 2022 |
| PUD + Plat – Submittal 3 | May 4th, 2022 |
| Rezoning – City Council | April 5th, 2022 |
| Rezoning – Planning Commission | March 9th, 2022 |
| PUD + Prelim Plat – Submittal 2 | March 8th, 2022 |
| ELAC Meeting | Feb. 24th, 2022 |
| 4% LIHTC – Letter of Intent | Feb. 15th, 2022 |
| 9% LIHTC – Application | Feb. 1st, 2022 |
| PUD + Rezoning – Submittal 1 | Dec. 14th, 2021 |
| ELAC Meeting | Dec. 1st, 2021 |
| 9% LIHTC – LOI & Concept Meeting | Dec. 1st, 2021 |
| Pre-Application Meeting with City | Aug. 2021 |
| Vertical Design Kickoff | July 2021 |
| Initial Preliminary Plan Submission | March 27th, 2020 |
| Rezoning Application Submission | March 27th, 2020 |
Covid-19 |
March 2020 |
| Sketch Plan 4th Submittal | Sept. 19th, 2019 |
| Planning Commission Public Hearing | Sept. 19th, 2019 |
| ELAC Meeting | Sept. 15th, 2021 |
| Sketch Plan 3rd Submittal | July 2019 |
| Sketch Plan 2nd Submittal | May 2019 |
| Sketch Plan Neighborhood Meeting | March 2019 |
| Initial Sketch Plan Submittal | February 2019 |
On Sept. 24, 2019 the Lafayette Planning Commission approved Boulder County Housing Authority’s (BCHA’s) sketch plan for Willoughby Corner on a 6-0 vote. There were nine conditions attached to their approval. The Planning Commission Decision Memo outlines their approval and those conditions.
The Boulder County Housing Authority submitted the first Preliminary Plan submittal for Willoughby Corner on March 27, 2020. A revised Preliminary Plat was submitted July 19, 2022.
In June 2017, the City of Lafayette and Boulder County (and by extension, Boulder County Housing Authority) entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) around this planned neighborhood of affordable workforce housing that helps demonstrate expectations and guide performance around the development. The IGA calls for 80% of all homes built on the property to be deed-restricted for rents and purchase prices that are well-below-market rate for residents. Of these, 20% should be for-sale and 80% should be rental (Section 9a/b/c). The rental homes are stipulated to serve people earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. And at least 10% of the rental homes must be set aside for people age 55 and older.
The IGA also stipulates that (in perpetuity) the land can only be used for affordable housing (Section 20a).
This IGA highlights past successes for the two entities in partnering to create affordable housing for families, seniors, disabled individuals, and others, but also acknowledges that “others still struggle to attain safe, decent, affordable housing in Lafayette” (Recital A/B).
Importantly, the IGA defines “affordable housing” as “housing for which the total cost of monthly rent payments, or the total cost of monthly payment of principal, interest, taxes, insurance including private mortgage insurance, and homeowner association dues, does not exceed the specified percentage of the Area Median Income and which is intended not to require payment of more than 30% of the gross monthly household income…” (Section 2).
These are the benefits of the planned neighborhood of affordable workforce housing listed in the IGA:
The final plan for this housing in east Lafayette will be developed largely through guidance from this IGA; input received from a range of neighbors, community members, and other stakeholders; and the mission of the Boulder County Housing Authority to maximize access to affordable housing for a range of community members in need.
A second IGA was developed between Boulder County and the Boulder County Housing Authority which passes on all the requirements of the first agreement to BCHA.
Early character sketch by Coburn Architects of a design option for the neighborhood of affordable workforce housing
Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) is committed to engaging with neighbors and others in a productive conversation around how to meet the community’s broader needs for diverse housing, environmental sustainability, transportation, infrastructure, and more. To gain a full understanding of the surrounding neighborhoods and Lafayette more broadly, we spent several months immersed in the community, getting to know the land, the neighbors, and active community members in the area. This has helped shape and prioritize community outreach and engagement opportunities, including neighborhood planning, green space and trail connections, roadway connectivity, and mobility issues.
With this understanding of the community, we developed a Public Engagement Plan (PEP) that includes community wide engagement through open houses, community presentations, and the formation of the East Lafayette Advisory Committee (ELAC) – a community group of area residents and stakeholders who will help advise BCHA in implementing this engagement plan in the most inclusive and effective way, and who will engage with us in shared learning about the issues and interests behind the planned community of affordable workforce housing.
To date, outreach has consisted of distributing 5,000 flyers and postcards to nearby households and local businesses; 25 community meetings, including three held in Spanish; open houses with more than 500 attendees; and 10 meetings initiated by BCHA with the ELAC.
Concurrent with this outreach are ongoing presentations to community groups as well as backyard meetings and coffees with interested neighbors or groups who want to learn more about the planned housing and provide feedback. We are presenting and listening to neighborhood associations and business groups throughout the area. We welcome the opportunity to share our story and hear how we can make this affordable workforce housing community a model for both design and engagement.
To facilitate community feedback, we have created multiple ways to communicate with our project
team and community ELAC members:
The East Lafayette Advisory Committee (ELAC) is a group of individuals who volunteer their time to discuss details and make recommendations for Willoughby Corner’s design, amenities, and levels of service to the community. ELAC is comprised of representatives who live in areas adjacent to Willoughby Corner site and throughout the Lafayette community.
At the most recent ELAC meetings, BCHA provided updates on the Site Plan, conceptual architecture, and Willoughby Corner’s overall timeline and next steps. If you would like to watch the meetings, please feel free to access the recordings and presentation slides at these link:
ELAC meetings include volunteer representatives from neighbors and community groups.
See the East Lafayette Advisory Committee Membership and Charter PDFs for additional information as well as ELAC Meeting agendas, presentations, materials and minutes:
The Boulder County Housing Authority is committed to transparency and an inclusive public process. Project related documents, submissions and materials are available below. Also refer to the Project History tab for earlier working documents.
9% funding application: BCHA’s presentation to the Colorado Housing Finance Agency a concept for a 63-unit senior building at Willoughby Corner.
Additional information can be read in our December 2021 Press Release
2018-2019 Community Meetings: BCHA and our community engagement firm, The Pachner Company, hosted a series of community open houses in Summer 2018 and Winter 2019 to introduce ourselves, provide an overview of the planned community and to help determine how we can best engage the public, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the broader community. The open houses featured several stations that attendees could visit related to various aspects of the planned community of affordable workforce homes. The following were the community meeting presentation boards:
Intergovernmental Agreements: Two intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) are in place between the City of Lafayette, Boulder County, and the Boulder County Housing Authority. Along with input received from neighbors, area residents, and other stakeholders, as well as BCHA’s mission to maximize the availability of affordable housing in our communities, these IGAs will help guide the final designs and plans for the neighborhood of affordable workforce homes.
Willoughby Corner has been a long time in the making, with remarkably strong neighborhood support and community involvement. Below you will find a history of activities completed in 2018-2020.
The name Willoughby Corner is a tribute to our community. In October 2018, BCHA held a “Lafayette, Name That Neighborhood” contest and engaged residents, local businesses, non-profit partners, and the East Lafayette Community Advisory Council (ELAC) to name this new community of workforce housing. BCHA received over 40 submissions from 25 residents for potential names for this project. Residents were asked to consider submissions that best represents the support affordable housing will provide to the Lafayette community, as well as to incorporate something important about this area, including history, present-day characteristics, and/or its people. As the Daily Camera noted in an article about the community naming effort, “The name ‘Willoughby Corner’ is based on the writings of an area historian, whose work spotlighted the area’s connections with the coal industry’s often-fraught past. Amid the violent clashes over unionization of mine workers during the early 1900’s that touched Lafayette’s mines, as well as the better-known clashes in southern Colorado, the American Fuel Company – owner of the Willoughby Mine – supported its workers.” Willoughby Corner was suggested by a Lafayette citizen and we believe it will welcome residents for generations to come in east Lafayette.
Community Design Workshop Open House: Here is a presentation of the design suggestions developed by workshop participants. Please take the time to see the ideas area neighbors and other stakeholders came up with to plan for the new neighborhood. Here are the flyers (in English or Spanish) created by our engagement firm, The Pachner Company, who co-led this design workshop.
Design Workshop
An initial design workshop was held in August 2018 for the planned East Lafayette community of affordable workforce housing. Interested community members participated by sharing design ideas and preferences with other community stakeholders and the project team. Attendees made recommendations for the layout of the planned community, including housing types and locations, parks and trail amenities, and other infrastructure. Approximately 40 to 50 community members attended the open house. Participants learned about the project and shared their views on the opportunities and challenges presented by the site. The attendees then broke into nine small groups for an interactive land use exercise with a map of the site, building blocks, and construction paper to design the community.
After analyzing the community-designed plans, common themes emerged, including (but not limited to):
The first meeting of the ELAC was held on Aug. 15, 2018. At the second ELAC meeting (Sept. 17, 2018) members reviewed the outcomes from the Design Workshop Open House and provided additional feedback for consideration for the planning of the site. Most of the discussion was on the Design Workshop Open House planning outcomes that will guide the planning moving forward. The BCHA housing development team carefully reviewed the design suggestions from the Design Workshop Open House and ELAC members, and created three Draft site plans for community review. These plans reflected input received from neighbors and other area stakeholders combined with the mission of BCHA to increase the availability of affordable housing in our communities and the requirements of the intergovernmental agreement between BCHA and the City of
Lafayette.
The team presented draft site plans at the third ELAC meeting (Oct. 22, 2018) and also shared the draft site plans electronically with all ELAC members via email to allow one week to review the plans before the October ELAC meeting. At this meeting, the BCHA team also provided a presentation on the recent transportation/traffic study that was conducted near the planned housing site, and shared the latest information on transportation improvements planned for the area as well as other potential improvements that could result from the presence of the new neighborhood. Here is a PDF of the presentation that was given.
The fourth ELAC meeting (Dec. 10, 2018) included a re-cap of the recent “pre-application” meeting with City of Lafayette staff, a discussion around density, and a detailed look at the sketch plan process and timeline for the planned neighborhood of affordable workforce homes. Here is the presentation that was given, and here are the density comparables that were shared with the committee.
At the fifth ELAC meeting (Jan. 6, 2019), a proposed illustrative plan for the development was presented. The results and analysis of a traffic study of the area related to the proposal and its potential impacts were also shared. Here is the agenda for the meeting and the packet of materials that were reviewed and discussed by ELAC members.
The City of Lafayette is supporting this planned affordable workforce housing. The fee, which went into effect in January 2016 and has been updated twice, now collects $1.00 per square foot on all new residential development to help fund permanently-affordable housing. In July 2019, this was updated to include a $1.00 per square foot affordable housing development fee on all new commercial development. Here is the ordinance describing this fee.
A talented team of professionals will bring Willoughby Corner to life:
The answers in this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section have been compiled by the Boulder County Housing Authority. The answers represent the best information we have at this time.
We anticipate that there will be a mix of rental and for-sale homes affordable to families and individuals, elders, and members of our workforce as part of the community. While the final mix of homes will be determined through the planning and financing process, the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Boulder County and the City of Lafayette specifies that of the total amount of homes on the property, approximately 80% will be for rent and 20% will be for sale.
The IGA between the City of Lafayette and Boulder County specifies that all affordable units will remain affordable in perpetuity.
BCHA has a full property management and maintenance team responsible for the day-to-day operations of its housing. BCHA also provides maintenance services for its properties. Maintenance staff conducts regular inspections, attend to work orders, and are available for emergencies 24/7.
At Willoughby Corner, the rental apartments will be serviced by maintenance and operations. Repairs and maintenance of owner occupied homes will be the responsibility of the homeowner.
There are two types of “Section 8 housing.” The first is where federal funds are used to build and subsidize operations of an affordable housing building. The affordable housing community in East Lafayette will not be traditional federally subsidized housing.
The second type of Section 8 is also known as “Housing Choice Vouchers.” This is a HUD program that enables a household to pay 30% of their income on rent, and HUD provides a subsidy for the remainder. Housing Choice Vouchers can be used wherever there is a willing landlord and a unit that meets the HUD requirements (reasonable rent, and a Housing Quality Standards inspection). The new community of affordable housing will accept Housing Choice Vouchers.
Housing Choice Vouchers are a powerful tool to assist very-low-income households and create income diversity in a neighborhood. However, the resource is extremely scarce: waitlist times are often 5-10 years.
We anticipate that a small percentage of residents who will live in this affordable housing project may qualify for income-based federal housing assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher program. This housing does not depend upon HUD or the Housing Choice Voucher for funding.
The proposed housing will include a mix of building types. This may include duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and apartments. The final building types will be determined through the planning process with extensive opportunity for input from the community.
The Willoughby Corner development is located at the intersection of several diverse neighborhoods with a variety of design influences. the north boundary of the property is formed by the east end of Emma Street, one of the main east-west roads in the historic old town district of Lafayette.
The east boundary is 120th Street which is a busy thoroughfare with small, dispersed residential and agricultural buildings to the east. a large industrial building abuts the south edge of the property, while to the west-southwest lies the Peak-to-Peak Charter School campus. Within such an eclectic neighborhood, Willoughby Corner will employ a decidedly residential aesthetic in the overall form and materials of the buildings. each of the building typologies will be designed as a unique structure, with a few common elements to strengthen the overall design and composition of the development.
Predominant roof forms will feature pitched roofs throughout the site, with a variety of slopes offering distinctions between different building types. Large roof areas will be broken up into smaller forms to reduce the overall mass of the buildings. The apartment buildings and townhomes may contain flat roof areas punctuated by pitched roofs. The primary roofing materials will be shingles with metal roof accents and membrane roofing at flat areas. The roof will be designed to accommodate photovoltaics.
A mix of horizontal lap siding, vertical board-and-batten siding, panel siding, and other accent siding materials and trim will provide variety to the building types. The larger apartment buildings will feature brick masonry in earthy colors to form a solid, durable base. In addition to their aesthetic qualities, the exterior materials will be selected for durability and fire-resistant properties.
At other BCHA properties we typically see less than 1 car per household. BCHA at Aspinwall, Josephine Commons and Kestrel in order to provide exact data on comparable sites. Please see study here:
The design, approval, and financing of affordable housing is a multi-step process made more complex by the phasing of this project.
BCHA will work closely with City of Lafayette and the adjoining neighbors to create safe, low impact access to the site. The general contractor, will be required to create a detailed and specific construction access plan, and will ensure that all subcontractors and materials providers adhere to that plan. Other ways to minimize impacts include setting limits on work hours, setting specific limited construction access routes, putting restrictions on where employees and subcontractors can park, and having a water truck on site to minimize dust. A perimeter fence will also be constructed around the entire project site to isolate the dangers of an active constructive site from the general public. All of these approaches have been utilized on previous projects.
All efforts will be made to limit the impacts of construction, especially to neighbors along Flagg Drive and Emma Street.
Yes. The willingness and ability to recruit local subcontractors will be one of the selection criteria used to screen the general contractor.
Housing diversity contributes to economic activity associated with households spending their disposable income on items such as food, clothing, transportation, and health care. The degree to which these impacts remain in the local economy depends on the services and goods available within that particular region.
Community revitalization, expanding home ownership, and the effective delivery of health care and other services are all enhanced by public investment in stable affordable housing.
From the standpoint of a healthy lifestyle, when housing is made more affordable, then the income that is saved can be used to meet other basic needs; for example, the purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods.
Research has demonstrated that inclusion of more diverse and affordable housing for families and individuals, elders, and members of the workforce in communities increases spending and employment in the local economy, and reduces the risks of foreclosures and the instability in the economy when employers have difficulty attracting and retaining workers.
We anticipate that the neighborhood will be made up of a diverse mix of families, seniors, singles and couples without children. Boulder Valley School District has studied the Willoughby project and potential residents, and has confirmed that adequate capacity is available to serve the projected number of students.
A thorough traffic study is available on the Planning Documents tab.
Working closely with a team of professional engineers and the City of Lafayette, significant improvements have been designed at this intersection to mitigate traffic and provide safe pedestrian and bicycle access. The intersection is further enhanced by a new trail connection, linking to other regional trails and open space parks.
Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) will manage the eligibility for the rental housing. Applicants will be required to provide income documentation, as well as pass both criminal and sex offender background checks.
The IGA between the City of Lafayette and BCHA calls for 80% of all homes built on the property to be deed-restricted for rents and purchase prices that are well-below-market rate for residents. Of these, 20% should be for-sale and 80% should be rental (Section 9a/b/c). The rental homes are stipulated to serve people earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. And at least 10% of the rental homes must be set aside for people age 55 and older.
We anticipate a blend of families, individuals, elders, and workforce members will live in this diverse mix of homes at Willoughby Corner.
Yes. For more information on Housing Choice Vouchers:
2022 Income Limits, Boulder County, Colorado
| Area Median Income | 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person |
| 120% | $105,360 | $120,480 | $135,480 | $150,480 | $162,600 | $174,600 | $186,600 | $198,720 |
| 100% | $87,800 | $100,400 | $112,900 | $125,400 | $135,500 | $145,500 | $155,500 | $165,600 |
| 80% | $70,240 | $80,320 | $90,320 | $100,320 | $108,400 | $116,400 | $124,400 | $132,480 |
| 70% | $61,460 | $70,280 | $79,030 | $87,780 | $94,850 | $101,850 | $108,850 | $115,920 |
| 60% | $52,680 | $60,240 | $67,740 | $75,240 | $81,300 | $87,300 | $93,300 | $99,360 |
| 50% | $43,900 | $50,200 | $56,450 | $62,700 | $67,750 | $72,750 | $77,750 | $82,800 |
| 40% | $35,120 | $40,160 | $45,160 | $50,160 | $54,200 | $58,200 | $62,200 | $66,240 |
| 30% | $26,340 | $30,120 | $33,870 | $37,620 | $40,650 | $43,650 | $46,650 | $49,680 |
These numbers are current as of 2022 and are updated annually by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) publishes an annual income and rent table that BCHA will use to manage income eligibility. HUD uses Area Median Income (AMI) to determine maximum incomes, and calculates rent plus utilities to be no more than 30% of a household’s income.
The complete AMI charts for Colorado, including Boulder County, are available at:
https://www.chfainfo.com/getattachment/398584c0-ef33-4e57-93a2-a20881ed09d6/2022-Rent-and-income-limits.pdf
Owner occupied for-sale homes will be income restricted to those making 80-120% AMI and below. Maximum mortgage amounts will be determined through the planning and financing process and are not available at the moment.
The Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) is the official housing authority for all areas of the county beyond the city limits of Longmont and Boulder, including Lafayette. BCHA was formed to serve the unmet housing needs of Boulder County residents in 1975. BCHA owns and manages 835 affordable homes across Boulder County, including 257 homes in Lafayette. BCHA is committed to owning and managing our properties in perpetuity.
In the intergovernmental agreement, it’s noted that “Lafayette believes that BCHA has demonstrated its capabilities in the development, operation, maintenance, and management of affordable housing in the municipalities of Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Lyons, Nederland, and throughout unincorporated Boulder County,” and that “[Lafayette and BCHA] have worked together successfully for many years to create and preserve a diverse array of high-quality affordable housing options in Lafayette.”
BCHA has competed projects of similar scale over the past six years: Tungsten Village in Nederland, The Spoke on Coffman in Longmont, Josephine Commons (senior housing) and Aspinwall (middle-‐ and low-‐income affordable rental housing) and Kestrel in Louisville (senior and affordable rental housing). These communities have many amenities including a commercial kitchen with a senior meals program, a common house with a community center and classroom space, communal green space, playgrounds, community gardens, and connections to open space and trails. These communities were completed on time and on budget.
Boulder County, Boulder County Housing Authority and the City of Lafayette jointly purchased the property in July 2017, with BCHA retaining title to the property.
An intergovernmental agreement is in place between the City of Lafayette and Boulder County dedicating the land for the creation of deed-restricted, permanently-below-market-rate homes, to include both rental and ownership options.
BCHA is committed to ensuring that the new community has exceptional trail access and connections to Lafayette. The site’s proximity to the future Inspire trail as well as the existing Burlington trail provides an excellent opportunity to enhance and support Lafayette’s trail system. Trail connectivity is a vital component of our planning process.
The new community includes robust community green space and amenities such as gardens, a dog park, a playground, multi-use trail, orchards and native species, low-irrigation landscaping.
The East Lafayette Advisory Committee is a community group of citizens and others who are advising Boulder County Housing Authority staff in implementing an inclusive and effective community engagement plan and ensuring the creation of affordable homes at East Emma and 120th streets is a true community enhancement. Advisory in nature, the ELAC meets regularly and provides honest constructive feedback to BCHA and their partners.
You can always visit this website (www.lafayettehousing.org) and submit questions to HHSCommunications@BoulderCounty.org.
Phone: 303-441-1000
TTY: 1-800-659-3656
Fax: 303-441-1523
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